RN FOB

In a book that I have called Beachhead Assault, about the Royal naval commandos there is mention of RN FOB Telegraphists, who served with the commandos, it is intresting as they were either entitled to wear the green beret as Commando Signallers or the red beret and cap badge of the Paras as Parachutists one in particuler was Alexander John Boomer, Telegraphist RN FOB, D/jx 358444.He was awarded the DSM for a action in Sicily 1943.Anyone got anymore on this unit and in particular the guys who wore the Maroon beret and cap badge of the Paras but the title Royal Navy on thier shoulder, Regards, Jason

 

It sounds like an interesting research project.

Best of luck.

Regards
Tom

 

It sounds like an interesting research project.

Best of luck.

Regards
Tom
Yes Smudger, and to aid that research I have just got a copy of A. Cecil Hampshires, Beachead Commandos.

 

I'll post the DCM later for you (Remind me if I forget).

I have served in Bosnia and Iraq with RN chaps wearing green berets and the RN beret badge. Never seen any RN wearing Red Berets though. Have seen most of the cap badges in 16 AA in my time though.

I don't think RN would wear Red Berets now though, let alone if they are allowed.....They would get leathered by the boot necks if they did being they are in the same 'Company'.

 

I'll post the DCM later for you (Remind me if I forget).

I have served in Bosnia and Iraq with RN chaps wearing green berets and the RN beret badge. Never seen any RN wearing Red Berets though. Have seen most of the cap badges in 16 AA in my time though.

I don't think RN would wear Red Berets now though, let alone if they are allowed.....They would get leathered by the boot necks if they did being they are in the same 'Company'.
Drew its a DSM! and I was surprised when I saw the pics in the book of what appeared to be Paras with RN shoulder tabs but it says they were RN Telegraphists, it never ceases to amaze me who wore what, with who, and where in WW2

 

No worries I have a book with all them in too from WW2

 

No worries I have a book with all them in too from WW2
Are there any Medal books you dont have

 

I don't think he's mastered Bate, yet?

 

I don't think he's mastered Bate, yet?

 

I don't think he's mastered Bate, yet?

Military Medals's by any chance?

 

More helpfully, the red beret was the headdress of the Airborne Forces, so should/could have been worn by RN personnel serving with them - I'm assuming the FOB party went in with 1 Abn Div. The Parachute Regiment's badge may have been seen as the default airborne forces badge for 'odds and sods' - e.g the AFPU teams at Arnhem wore it.

 

Military Medals's by any chance?

That's the one. If it's any consolation, I didn't bag it either...
It must be one hell of a book - if there were 2000 DCMs, how many MMs must have been awarded?

 

It doesn't list the citations though just the recipients. There aren't many that do. I've just paid nearly £150 for a MC book and a DSO book that only lists a few....Annoyed? Just a little

 

More helpfully, the red beret was the headdress of the Airborne Forces, so should/could have been worn by RN personnel serving with them - I'm assuming the FOB party went in with 1 Abn Div. The Parachute Regiment's badge may have been seen as the default airborne forces badge for 'odds and sods' - e.g the AFPU teams at Arnhem wore it.

AFPU ?

 

Army Film & Photographic Unit. (Sorry)

 

Awarded DSM.

For gallant and distinguished services and untiring devotion to duty in operations which led to the capture of Sicily by Allied Forces.

Gazetted 21.12.43

pp 5540/1

 

Cheers Drew.

 

My two pennys worth. I think that if they wore the wings, beret and cap badge of the Parachute Regiment, then they were members of that Regiment. If they were from other Units but had qualified as parachutists I think, and I stand ready to be severely corrected if I am wring, they wore a para bulb as it were on the forearm?? of the battledress.
Are there any pictures from this book you can scan/post? (I dont think its one I have got in one of my many boxes!¬)
It would be good to see, or details of any Airborne Units they were attached to for the invasion.
I have details somewhere of a member of the AAC attached to the RM I believe it is, when I get a free moment I will try and look him up!

Regards
Andy

 

Just incase it adds any relevance the 'Bulb' means you're a 'Penguin' - a bird that can't fly in the Army I was part of. I was worn/could be worn by those who had completed P Company and was waiting to do a Jumps Course at Brize. No one obviously wore it as they didn't want to be called a 'Hat'.

Red Berets today can be worn by all members of 16 AA even if you haven't done 'The Full Course' with your Corps/Regt. Cap Badge. Wings on the Right arm by all those who are Jumps Qualified and in date although some still where the wings after the quals have expired.

On posting to another Brigade/Battalion you revert back to that units colour beret.

The only time I heard of this being disputed was in Iraq in 2003. The Irish Regiment refused to wear a Red Beret and kept their Green 'Thingy' and there was talk of the Cavalry Recce chaps supporting 16 Air Assault was going to be allowed to wear a Red Beret but it never happened.....We joked that it was because they refused to push their Scimitars out of the back of a Herc !

Probably different back then (and now) but that was my understanding of it a few years ago.

Regards
Andy

PS Much to the annoyance of RSM's chaps transfering to a 'Hat' unit would continue to wear their Beret in the style of the Airborne - I bit like a flat cap

 

My two pennys worth. I think that if they wore the wings, beret and cap badge of the Parachute Regiment, then they were members of that Regiment. If they were from other Units but had qualified as parachutists I think, and I stand ready to be severely corrected if I am wring, they wore a para bulb as it were on the forearm?? of the battledress.
Are there any pictures from this book you can scan/post? (I dont think its one I have got in one of my many boxes!¬)
It would be good to see, or details of any Airborne Units they were attached to for the invasion.
I have details somewhere of a member of the AAC attached to the RM I believe it is, when I get a free moment I will try and look him up!

Regards
Andy
Andy, there is a pic I will try too post in if I can get my scanner working or I will take a photo I have seen another Pic in a book I no longer have and it is of one of the same people in the pic I have.As for them being members of the Parachute regiment, I dont think they were and although the book quotes C/J X331059, Telegraphist,Wilfred Fortune, NO 1 Combined ops Bombardment Unit or Forward Observer Bombardment Party as saying "we went to Normandy with A Company of the 7th Battalion the Parchute Regiment" AND "as I parachuted out".Along with the details of the other guy Alex Boomer, who I posted on in my earlier post, im assuming the number prefix in front of what is a Naval rank is a Navy service number added to which the pic shows Royal Navy shoulder tabs but Parachute regiment cap badges and another quote from the book I just found which funnily enough mentions the pic from the other book I refered to above "A photographer rolled up, noticed Alex's Royal Navy badge and Parachute WINGS and took a picture" regards, Jason